Patterns
by Mounty Swiss
Summary: Spin-off to "The Return of Ironside" (original series)
1. Chapter 1

**Patterns**

**Part 1: Dear Eve – Dear Katherine**

_E-mail by Katherine Ironside – to Eve Brown, Denver CO_

_Sonoma, April 4__th__, 1993_

My dear Eve

Your wedding was such a joy for Robert and me! We are very happy that you and Ed finally found one another. Thank you very much for inviting us.

I am sure that you created a wonderful new home for the two of you in your small house. I hope for you that your husband will make time that he can spend with you and enjoy it. His responsible job will not make life easy for the two of you, as I know from personal experience.

Robert is completely in his element in the vineyard. It is hard to believe that he spent most of his life in town chasing criminals. He is so relaxed now. He took to cultivating grapevines like a duck to water. His wheelchair seems to be no hindrance at all. He looks stronger and healthier than ever. Of course the fresh air, the good food and the time to savor them becomes him. This new computer with the possibility of e-mail communication is the only concession to his former lifestyle.

I could not be happier right now.

It would be wonderful to have you and Ed here as our guests, when police matters in Denver will have settled down a bit. Consider yourself as being invited any time you see a chance to get here.

* * *

_E-mail by Eve Brown_

_Denver, April 7__th__, 1993_

Dear Katherine

Thank you for your kind words. It's so good to hear from you! It's high time that Robert and you get a chance to do what you like.

Ed and I have managed to build a new, fulfilled life together.

He works very hard to clean up the mess after the Regency Textile Corporation disaster and to restore the people's trust in the police after the affair around Chief McManus and the coroner. Commissioner Fisette is no big help. He performs his official duties, but burdens Ed with everything else. Ed is very convincing with his modesty and his dedication, and the people of Denver feel it. What they don't know is how much it costs him personally... and yes, me too. Without me he would ruin his health. As it is, he still works twelve or more hours almost every day. If I am lucky we have two hours before we go to bed, but often he is even too tired to have dinner. I have buried all my "haute cuisine" ambitions. You just can't keep a soufflé warm for three hours. In the morning he gets up early, and I rise with him to make sure he at least has a decent breakfast. I'm well aware of the fact that he keeps struggling to take some time off for me.

I encourage him to keep up his playing basketball with the juvenile offenders, since it is such an important project.

Suzanne is of the opinion that I should make him choose between me and his workaholic lifestyle. She is very protective of me and thinks that I let myself be exploited like an old-fashioned wifey. I see it differently: My responsibility is to support my husband who tries to accomplish a task which he could not do alone... and up to two hours a day I enjoy the company of the most devoted, most tender man I can imagine.

In spite of his workload he looks much healthier than before we got married. The earlier tension has gone and he has found back to his relaxed calmness, and he smiles more often now than when we were young.

I realize that I managed to make him happy, and it means a lot to me.

I am sure that you will understand me since you have been in a similar position for years now. Even though it looked as if you were just waiting for your famous husband in the background, I know that your support was infinitely precious for Robert, and I know how much he loves you for that.

I wish you many wonderful years in your little paradise!


	2. Chapter 2

Dear Eve

All my best wishes for your birthday, my dear Eve!

I hope things have become a little less hectic for the two of you.

Robert sends you his regards too.

He has become good friends with our neighbors, people with relatively small vineyards like ours. Most of them are sixty plus too, and we often sit together and exchange our knowledge and experiences.

Sonoma is simply wonderful at this time of the year. You really should come here and see it, and see how relaxed Robert is now.  
You could say that he went soft. His edges seem to have smoothed, and I love him even more this way.

* * *

Dear Katherine

Thank you for your birthday wishes!

Ed took the day off and surprised me with a very special gift: a tandem bicycle.

A little letter stuck to the handlebars read, "This bike is a symbol for our marriage. We are a team, but not both of us can put the same amount of time and strength into it. You are the one pedaling for the both of us. On this vehicle it may be the other way round for a change. From now on I will take one day off per week and go for a cycling tour with you as long as you want."

I don't believe for a second that he will manage to put this promise into practice, but I was moved to tears.

* * *

Dear Eve

Let me do a little chatting.

I told you about our nice neighbors here in Sonoma.  
There are also quite a few originals among them.  
For instance there is Benjamin Redstone, a retired stock broker.  
It seems as if he bought a piece of land whenever he won some money.  
He is really crazy about his vineyard, which is the biggest in this area. It looks as tidy as someone else's living-room.  
Yesterday I met him when I took a walk early in the morning. He was in working clothes and had obviously been working already!

Robert and I in contrast take it easy.

I am surprised that Robert can do that and be happy... at least so far...

* * *

Dear Katherine

You have become such a good friend for me – may I talk to you about my deepest secrets?

Last night Ed was restless again, for the third night in a row. When I awoke he was staring out the window into the darkness.  
I stood up and hugged him from behind.  
He apologized for waking me up, which he hadn't done. He is always so quiet.

"Ed, I know that you take the professional secrecy very seriously. But you are so exhausted. Don't deny it, I can see and feel it. Please, let me help you, or at least share your burden."

In the dim moonlight I saw that he closed his eyes. He took a deep breath. Then he turned around.

"It is not professional this time, at least not directly."

I was frightened. "What are you talking about?"

Gently he led me back to bed and sat down on the edge.  
"Honey, I can't burden you with this. I will get over it sooner or later, just give me some time. Can you be patient with me again – as you always are?"

It took a load off my mind when I realized that it wasn't a problem between him and me. Still it affected me, since it obviously took a heavy toll on him.

"Darling, please tell me what it is. Don't you remember our tandem? Maybe there is something I can do, or at least I can pray."

He sighed. "I should not... See, there is this boy, Danny. He is about twelve years old and he was arrested together with a group of older youngsters who broke into a shop. We don't know if he broke the law or not.  
He doesn't talk, he only screams when he gets scared. It looks like his parents were foreign tourists who died in a car accident nine years ago. Their papers were burnt and unrecognizable, and nobody knew anything about the child. He has a bad scar on his arm from a burn. He was put into the orphanage and called Daniel Swift.  
He has never spoken a single word. He goes to school and can read and write, but he only answers factual questions. As soon as something gets personal, he withdraws back into himself."

"It is called 'mutism', isn't it?"

"Yes, but from what I've heard he could be autistic, too. I feel so incredibly bad for him."

My heart flew out to my husband. Among his many duties he let himself be touched by the fate of a single child.

"You would like to help him."

"Yes, I want him to have a chance in life so badly. Everything is fine in the orphanage, the social workers do what they can with the kids. But he has no real chance there, and nobody will ever want to adopt a handicapped, scarred and traumatized child like him."

For a moment we were both quiet.  
I was very glad to know what was weighing him down. It was tough to carry the load with him, but to me it was proof that he was the man whom I had married: my compassionate, caring Ed Brown.

Suddenly I knew what question he would never word, so I did it myself:  
"You would like to take him with us, wouldn't you?"

"No – yes..." He swallowed hard. "No, Eve. That's something I could never ask from you."

I sat up and hugged him. "No, you could not. But I can ask you: Ed Brown, are you ready to put our tandem to the test and open our home to this boy?"

He lowered his head and his hollow cheek joined mine.  
He quickly wiped over his eyes with the sleeve of his pajamas before hugging me back. "Eve, I don't deserve you... don't know what to say..."

"Don't say anything. Try to get a wink of sleep before you have to get up."

As soon as his head touched the pillow he was sound asleep.

* * *

Dear Eve

If anybody manages to create a home for such a troubled child I'm sure it will be you and Ed.  
I wish you all the wisdom and love you will need for this special boy!

Right now, Robert and I have a special guest too: John Ritter, one of our neighbors, has a broken leg.  
He fell down the stairs in front of his house.  
It was such a silly accident: he slipped because an oil can, which had been standing on the stairs, had toppled down and the oil had made the stairs slippery.  
Maybe a cat strolling around had overthrown the can.

We took him into our house for the time being because he lives alone and can't do his housework.  
Robert keeps challenging him for races: John on crutches, Robert in his wheelchair.  
You would never believe how funny he can be just to brighten John up!  
Tomorrow they intend to go fishing together.


	3. Chapter 3

Dear Katherine

Oh yes, I know how funny Robert Ironside can be... he always could. But I have to admit that I'm quite happy not to be at the receiving end of his pranks anymore!

In addition to the commotion around Danny's arrival in our home I have a random problem: Suzanne is a grown woman now, but it is still a challenge for her to lose her privilege of being my only child.

I asked her how she would feel if she got a little brother.

It almost blew her mind. "A little brother... at your age?!"

"Well, not exactly _that_ little."

"As long as he's not one of Ed's punk... no... don't tell me... Oh my God, he _is_ one of Ed's punk kids...!"

"Please don't call them that. And no, he isn't exactly one of the juvenile offenders either."

* * *

Dear Eve

You must be beside yourself with excitement about the new member in your family! At any rate that's how I would be.

There was enough excitement for my liking in Sonoma yesterday.

Late in the evening we saw some smoke on Luke Derringer's vineyard. Luke lives a little further down our valley with his wife.  
A fire is a serious problem in a vineyard, so we went out to see if there was one – and indeed, dozens of grapevines were already burning. Moreover a strong wind was driving the flames towards our property!

You should have seen my Robert. He took care of everything. He organized the entire fire-extinguishing action.  
All our neighbors came over to help, and thanks to Robert's talents the fire was put out before the firefighters even reached the place.

Afterwards we wondered about what had caused the fire. Maybe a careless motorist had thrown a burning cigarette out of his car. One would think that by now everybody knows that they aren't to do this!

* * *

Dear Katherine

It's been a while, but I'm sure you will understand why I didn't write for some time: Danny is here now! He is a very skinny boy with an angelic face, his light brown hair is neatly parted on the right side.

He doesn't smile or cry. He is extremely clumsy but has skilled hands. Loud noise, bright light, animals or crowds scare him terribly.

He can't cycle – for the time being he gets the second seat on our tandem. Going out on cycling tours seems to make him happy.

I have found out that he panics when I expect him to take a shower. Fortunately we have a bath tub. Washing his hair is a major problem. Ed takes care of that for now.

He eats pasta, bread, some fruits and potatoes, but no vegetables, salad or meat, and nothing containing different foods all at once.

We bought him a few toys: puzzles, an Erector set and Legos. He plays with them all alone for hours, especially with the Legos. When he is stressed he just sorts them by color on the floor.

Once I wanted to vacuum. He started to scream and hid under his bed, sobbing helplessly. Therefore I did the cleaning when he was at school, but I must have touched one of his Lego stacks accidently. When he noticed it he did his screaming-and-hiding routine again.

Yesterday I was annoyed because my mixer broke down. I didn't object when Danny took it to his room. Half an hour later he brought it back and the mixer was working.

Today he cracked the password on Ed's computer.

* * *

Dear Eve

Your description of Danny almost made me cry. I can hardly imagine how difficult life must be for him – and now for you too! May you find a way to his heart.

We have a very troubled person here as well.  
Ellen Crawford, a very nice new friend of mine, lives with her husband not far away from us.  
They had a cute dog named "Peppermint", don't ask me why he carried this name. Unfortunately he was run over by a car or more likely a truck.  
Poor Ellen is heartbroken about her loss. The little dog brought so much joy into her life!  
I feel so sorry for her, especially since her husband Bill is not always easy to live with.

Robert and I are thinking about how we could cheer her up. Maybe we will invite her for a trip to the countryside tomorrow.  
Of course "Peppermint" can't be replaced in her heart, therefore we can't just buy a new dog for her. She must put her grief behind her and be ready for another one first.

* * *

Dear Katherine

I started to read "The Leatherstocking Tales" to Danny, overarticulating the protagonists' emotions for him. He watched me eagerly, and sometimes he grimaced as if he was trying to express the same feelings.

Ed has found a solution for Danny's hair-wash problem. He found out that Danny is afraid of water getting into his eyes. Hence he bought him diving goggles. Now Danny manages to wash his hair himself! You really have to get inventive with such a child.

He gets surprisingly good marks at school, at least in certain subjects like math and science. He doesn't seem to like foreign languages. Funny – Ed has never learned French and Spanish either, just a little German. I'm tempted to say: Like father, like son!

Patiently Ed taught Danny how to ride a bike. It was like having a very small child. Finally they managed, and for the first time I saw Danny smile. Yet his muscle tone is too low to cycle long distances. "We'll improve on that," Ed promised.

They have started to build a model aircraft together. Since both of them are perfectionists they spend many evenings on their project. It's an infinite joy for me to see the graying and the dark-blond heads stuck together, their eyes shining, understanding each other without any words.

These times with Danny are very important to Ed, but he doesn't want to neglect me either. Now he has taken to work entire nights or get up at four in the morning. I don't know where this will end, but up to now it seems to become him. I have never seen him happier.

* * *

Dear Eve

It is wonderful to read how you are developing into a real family! It will be your job to protect your husband from himself. He doesn't get any younger. Like my Robert he seems to have a tendency to go to his limits and beyond. But I'm sure you are aware of that.

My husband has a little relapse into his former life right now.  
The house of our neighbors, the Stravinskys, was burglarized.  
It happened while they were at their daughter's marriage in New York. When they came home the door was broken down and all their valuables were gone.  
And I thought that such things only happened in town!  
Of course Robert feels that he has to solve the case. It will be very difficult though. Robert doesn't have access to the means of the police, and they don't want him to interfere. As you can imagine this only makes Robert furious but doesn't stop him!

* * *

Dear Katherine

Yesterday was a day worth marking in my calendar...

First of all I overslept and as a result Danny was late for school, which made him awfully nervous. Suzanne had announced that she would come and look after Danny in the evening. I wanted to have the spare bedroom ready for her, but the vacuum cleaner broke down, and Danny, who might have been able to repair it, was at school. Then I burnt the cake. After lunch I thought that Danny really needed a haircut, or Suzanne would make a flippant remark about him. But he looked at me as if I wanted to kill him with the scissors. Fleeing under the couch he stumbled over my beautiful floor vase – he can be so awkward! – and it broke into pieces.

I was so beat that I sat down and cried.

That's how Suzanne found me. She picked up the shards of the vase – it had been a gift from her and she was really hurt – and shouted, "Give that brat back!"

It was our first evening off together since Danny has joined us. The occasion was the ball in honor of the newly-graduated police officers. Ed had to be there as an official and I was invited because everybody was supposed to be there with their spouse, if any. We explained to Danny that we would be back before 10 pm and he nodded his agreement.

It was nice to be out together for once.  
Nevertheless we left early, but on our way home Ed's car phone rang.  
It was headquarters.

"Sir, there is a problem on Gaylord street, at the 'Red Lion' bar. Most colleagues are still at the ball; could you please take a look yourself?"

Of course Ed could. He wanted me to drive home, he would take a taxi later, he said. But I didn't want this evening to end like this. Perhaps it would only be a minor problem.

When Ed pulled into a parking space in front of the bar a dozen or more youths came running out, splitting up and fleeing in all directions.

My husband hurried towards the venue, I followed suit.

I almost ran into him since he had stopped at the door. He blocked the entrance with his outstretched arm.  
Inside there was chaos: overturned tables, broken chairs, shards from dishes and glass, food stuck on the walls. A waitress was crying hysterically, an older man clad in black was shouting around, a couple of guests were huddled together in a corner.

And then I saw Danny. He was standing in the middle of the room, holding a knife to the inner side of his left wrist, ready to cut his artery.

With the combined authority of his official position and his 6 feet and 2 inches my husband shouted, "Police, I'm Chief Brown. This is my son. Leave me alone with him!"

Everybody obeyed instantly. The guests left through the door, the personnel disappeared into the kitchen.

I remained standing in the doorway. Slowly Ed moved towards the thin figure.

I got a glimpse of Danny's face and was startled: An expression of deep shock showed on his face. The knife dropped from his hand and he stood there like petrified.

Very carefully Ed stepped nearer, ready to pull back instantly if Danny showed another sign of aggression.

"Is this true?" asked Danny. His voice sounded hushed and a little flat, but never in my life had I heard a sweeter sound. Danny was talking!

I think the insight hit us both in the same second. "Danny, I am so, so sorry. I have never told you that you are my son, have I? Please forgive me," said Ed.

Tears were running down Danny's cheeks now. He threw himself into Ed's arms. He didn't utter another word. It was not necessary.


	4. Chapter 4

Dear Eve

Danny talking! This must be like a miracle for you. It will bring some huge changes into your life.  
You only realize how precious communication is when you have to go without it.

We had to face new problems here.  
Thanks to some very nice, large walking paths it is possible for the both of us to get around the vineyards.  
Yesterday Robert and I were enjoying ourselves on one of those paths, not too far away from our home. Suddenly we got startled: in one of the vineyards the leaves of the grapes were already withering!

Robert alerted the owner instantly. Bruce Lambert is almost eighty. I think he hadn't even realized that he had a problem. If this was a pest it could have spread out over other properties. We had to try to find out what it was.  
Robert called an expert professional. He took soil samples and leaves with him.  
The analysis highlighted that the withering was caused by an herbicide containing sulfonylurea.  
Lambert must have used far too much of the stuff. He may have Alzheimer's...

* * *

Dear Katherine

What a good thing that you are there to help all these elderly people! What would they do without you?

Danny has really started to talk to Ed, a little less to me.

He told him that he had heard what Suzanne had said. He must have been devastated. That's why he sneaked out on Suzanne when she thought that he was asleep, and wanted to go back to the orphanage. Two of the home children were on their way out of the home when he reached it. They took him with them, and that's how he ended in the bar.

The form of Autism Danny is suffering from is called 'Asperger's syndrome'. Some kids affected by it are almost like others, almost like 'neuro-typical' children, others like Danny are severely handicapped by this disease.

Ed also explained to me why Danny is so good at logical topics. The world is a chaos for him. For him, looking at things must be like for us seeing them through a narrow tunnel. He seems to see only small snippets of the world; but of these snippets he perceives every detail. It is very difficult for him to get an overview of things. Some autists lose themselves in a chaos of details, and they withdraw into themselves because they can't understand the world and especially people's emotions. Danny is very smart and has learned to handle his snippets quite well: He looks for patterns in the chaos and finds them.

"He sees patterns almost everywhere. But he can't see a pattern in the behavior of a dog, or in a fire, or in splashing water, or in people. That's why he's afraid of them," said Ed.

His training in looking for patterns helps Danny to understand very abstract topics like mathematics or physics, and on the other hand these topics help him understand the world and lay his own patterns into the menacing chaos.

Yesterday I gently told Danny that it might be possible to operate on his scar to make it less visible. His answer was no, he would not want it. "My father wears long-sleeved shirts, and so will I."

* * *

Dear Eve

Something very troubling has happened: Robert got a threatening letter.  
It said, "We don't need your kind of people here. Go away or you will regret it!"

Robert said that he had gotten hundreds of threatening letters in his life, but I'm not sure whether he really takes it that easy.

Who might want us out of the way?

I'm so afraid that something might happen to him.  
He's incredibly strong, but we have to consider that he can't walk.  
I will never understand how he was able to beat Gilette, that strong police officer who had gone rogue, when he and Ed were on that train and McManus and Gilette attacked them. He only told me that portable fire extinguishers make very useful weapons...

Oh dear, where will this go? Will we have to live in permanent fear? Will there ever be peace again?

* * *

Dear Katherine

I am very sorry to hear that you have to go through such sad experiences in your paradise. I hope for you that this is only a bad joke.

Today I lit a fire in the fireplace because it was a little chilly in the house. Danny noticed it and started to scream. I had to extinguish it, otherwise he wouldn't have calmed down.

When my resourceful husband came home I told him about it.  
He sat down with Danny and explained to him what exactly happens in the combustion process and what temperatures develop when you burn different materials, and how you can keep a fire under control. He thought that Danny might lose his fear if he understood it – if he saw some kind of 'pattern' in it. I think it was hard work for both of them, since the topic is like a red rag to Danny.

Finally Ed asked if he could live with it if he got the fire going again. Danny shouted "no" and hid under the corner table.

"It's all right, son. I understand how important this is for you."  
Ed needed quite some time to calm him down. Finally Danny crept out and shouted, "But you promise that you don't ever make me go or stay near a blaze! Never, ever!"

* * *

Priority e-mail:

Dear Katherine

We have a serious problem.

Today Commissioner Fisette ordered Ed into his office.

"Brown, you know that the good reputation of the Denver police has been ailing lately. The last thing we need is another scandal around our Chief of detectives."

In my humble opinion Ed has done much more for this good reputation than the Commissioner!  
Of course Ed didn't mention this. He asked Fisette what he meant.

"People talk, you know. If you had a son, wouldn't he most probably be tall, slim and gifted for logic and science like you? Come on, the boy even _looks_ like you! Today everybody has illegitimate children, I don't care about that. The problem is that you don't confess to being his real father – and that he is a criminal. This has to change."

"Sir, I _am_ Danny's real father, although not biologically. I wish I were. And nobody is a criminal until proven guilty. As far as I know Danny is no criminal at all but a troubled, traumatized child. My wife and I do our best to help him."

"I don't doubt that. But there _was_ some damage in that bar, and people realize that the Chief of detectives' son was with the kids causing it. I need this cleaned up, and you are biased, people won't trust you with this."

Ed looked like a ghost when he came home.

Katherine – I don't dare to bother you and Robert again, but I don't know what to do.


	5. Chapter 5

**Part 2: From Chief to Chief **

Eve drove to the airport to pick up Ironside.

Katherine had to stay behind in Sonoma. The Chief didn't want to leave her there unprotected though, with the threat hanging over her head. Fortunately Mark Sanger's girls were on holidays. The vineyard estate was a wonderful place to spend their time off as a family. That way they killed two birds with one stone.

Ironside wanted to be taken to headquarters immediately.

He had to wait a few minutes until he could meet his old friend. Meanwhile he witnessed how Chief Brown took care of things: With circumspection, efficiency and natural authority.

Ironside had expected to see a worn out, rattled man, similar to when Ed had called for help the last time. But the Ed Brown he faced now was different. He was a man ready to fight not only for his convictions, but notably for the people he loved. Ironside felt reminded of the mule-headed young officer who had surveilled the murderer of his fiancée night and day. Although he had become increasingly gaunt with advancing age he looked fit and energetic.

"Thanks for coming, Chief."

"You are welcome, Chief." In spite of the difficult situation Ironside had to smile. Ed really deserved this title now.

They closed the office door for more privacy.

Ed explained to Ironside Fisette's point of view.

"The problem is that you go soft, my friend. Your playing basketball with the juvenile offenders is the bone of contention. Fisette and company think that you are pampering the crooks instead of fighting them."

"Their recidivism rate is lower than the one of other kids in similar institutions."

"That's not the point. As Chief of detectives you have to be unambiguous."

"Chief, my guideline has always been the law, and I side the weak and helpless ones."

"I know – but you have to prove that you are tough enough to fight criminals."

"I want to fight crime, not criminals."

Ironside sighed. Contrary to the first impression this man had come a long ways from the angry, immature officer he had met decades ago. He could not agree with him in every respect, but he had to admit that his way of seeing things was considered and mature.

"Danny is a suspect too. Some people perceive your compassion for criminals as being your weak point, and that's where some people, Fisette among them, attack you."

"Do you suggest that I throw Danny to the wolves?!"

"Ed, are you or aren't you the boy's real father?"

"Of course I am!"

"You mean – biologically?"

Ed's voice was suddenly very calm. "Danny's blood type is AB, mine is O."

"Now that's an answer! What better proof is there that you are not his biological father? Why in blazes don't you go public with it?!"

"Because I love my son. He knows the truth of course. But I don't want to give him the impression that he is in _any_ way not our child by proclaiming this."

* * *

According to his customs Ed went to work at four a.m. the next morning. There was some other work to be done while he was preoccupied with his son's problem.

When his car phone rang he pressed the button of the hands-free device.  
Jerry Abby, his assistant, was on night shift. "Sir, I just got a call from the orphanage. They have noticed that two of their kids have absconded again. Thought you might want to know."

"Thanks, Jerry. Wait... maybe they were involved in a felony. What did you have tonight?"

"Not much, actually. A few bar brawls, a hit and run and a robbery at a Kebab shop..."

"Where was that?"

Jerry told him the address.

"Listen, Jerry - if I don't call in within the hour please alert Chief Ironside. He's staying at my house."

"But Sir, we had two men at that Kebab shop. They didn't find a thing, and the people who had robbed it are long gone, of course. They wore gloves and ski masks, so no pointer to anything."

"It's just a hunch. I'll call back."

Ed stopped his car on the side of the road.  
An idea fought its way to the surface of his awareness: Patterns. Danny saw patterns everywhere, and he started to see them too.  
Where would these kids go? It looked to him as if most of their former targets lay within two miles from the orphanage, and so did this Kebab shop. The kids had gone out regularly, together with other youngsters. Sometimes they just wanted to have fun. Sometimes the goal seemed to be to destroy something. Sometimes they stole money or small, relatively valuable items like watches or cameras. And when they did so they had to hide their loot somewhere until they could deliver it to a fence, since it would not be secure in the orphanage.

Unlike Danny he could try to think like them. Where would they hide the money they had stolen at the Kebab place?

Ed pulled a city map out of the glove compartment and studied it in the interior light of the car. An old factory stroke his eye. He knew that it was designed for demolition, but for some reason there had been a delay. It would be ideal as a stash for teenagers.

He decided to take a look at it.

Behind the glass of the door he saw a dim light, maybe from a flashlight.

If these were only kids he might go in alone, but he couldn't be sure. He'd better call for backup.

Yet while he took the receiver off the phone the door of the car was yanked open. Something hit his head and he blacked out.


	6. Chapter 6

At five past five in the morning the phone in the Browns' bedroom rang.  
It wouldn't stop ringing, until a half asleep housewife rolled over onto her husband's empty side of the bed and picked it up.  
Five seconds later she was wide awake.

Agitatedly she knocked at the door of her guestroom. "Robert, may I come in?"

The retired detective answered immediately. He was as alert as always when she put the phone into his hand.

"Sir, it's Jerry Abbey. Chief Brown's missing!"

Ironside listened attentively. "Get your people out of bed!" he barked. "We need a large area search! I'll join you in a few minutes."

When Eve hung up the phone she saw Danny standing in the hallway.  
"What's the matter with Dad? Is he hurt?" he asked anxiously.

"He's missing," answered Ironside. "Put on some clothes, I want you to come with me!"

For a moment Eve was stunned. "But Robert, he's only a child!"

"Yes, and the only one who knows at least _some_ of the people who may be involved in the problem at hand. I bet this has something to do with the gang he was with."

"He never even wanted to be with them!"

"I haven't said that. But he may be able to help find Ed."

Danny had already stripped off his pajama top and dropped it in the hallway. Sixty seconds later he appeared fully dressed in the kitchen.  
Eve put a glass of milk into his hand and a banana. The Chief would need a little longer to get dressed. At first Danny didn't want to eat, but when Eve urged him he gave in.

"Chief, do you want me to come with you or to go to headquarters?" asked Eve.

"I would be glad to have you at headquarters and take care of things there. And if they don't accept you, tell Jerry that I will bust him down to patrolman if he doesn't comply."

This was an idle threat since Ironside had no official position in the Denver police department, but Eve got the picture.

* * *

Sgt. Hank Riley was one of the first officers arriving at headquarters after Jerry had called for help. He was grey-haired, fatherly and overweight and had a soft spot for the new Chief of detectives. He thought that it was his job to protect his boss, who pulled his weight... although, actually, he was only half of Hank's weight, but still...

Ironside knew that he would do just about everything to help Ed. Ironside chose him as his driver and left Jerry in charge of the office, with Eve as his consultant. He wanted her to be safe. He had a hunch that he wasn't only up against some kids. There might be more, and she was not a policewoman anymore. Nobody knew how she would react if she found Ed in danger or hurt. He didn't want to endanger the boy either, but he might be a valuable source of information.

"Today is Wednesday. On Tuesday they often go on a foray," said Danny, without even being asked.

"Where do they put the things they have stolen? They can't hide them in the orphanage, can they?"

"I don't know. I have never seen them hide anything."

"Think, Danny! I need to know!"

The frightened child clammed up. Ironside realized that he could not talk to him like to a normal twelve-year-old.

"I'm sorry. I'm worried about your father. Can you understand that?"

Danny nodded, but didn't answer.

Ironside didn't give in.

"Can you tell me of a few places where this gang did some havoc or stole money during the last few months?"

Danny started reciting mechanically the addresses of places of felonies.

"Wait – I need a city map!"

Hank gave him one.

From the back seat Danny glanced over his shoulder.

"Sir, I think I know where they hid the money," he said all of a sudden, his voice as flat as if he were reciting the multiplication table.

Ironside stopped short. "How'd you know all at once?"

"There is a pattern... The places I told you about are lying in some kind of an ellipse. There are two focal points. One is the orphanage and the other is an old factory." He showed Ironside the place on the map.

Ironside squinted his eyes. To him it didn't seem so obvious, but yes, maybe... "Hank, get us..."

He didn't get to finish the sentence. Riley had already turned the van around.

When they reached the old factory building, they saw smoke rising out of the roof.

Instantly Danny started to scream. Ironside tried to ignore him.

"Open the door, Hank!"

The seasoned detective complied.

Inside, the fire had already spread out. The additional air made the flames burst.

Riley got a glimpse of Chief Brown in the most remote corner of the building.  
Then a part of the roof crashed down and blocked the view.

"Heavens, Sir, Chief Brown is in there, and he is tied to something!"

"Go and free him!" Ironside had to shout to drown Danny's clamor on top of the crackling of the fire. This could really get on one's nerves.

"I can't, the gap between the outside wall and the part which has broken down is too narrow!"

Danny had climbed out of the car too, still screaming. No chance Ironside could hear Ed or talk to him.

"Danny, stop now!"

As if he had pressed a button the child lapsed into silence, but buried his face in his hands instead, as if he tried to block out the terror.

"Chief, take Danny away!" Ironside heard Ed shout. "Don't let him see this! Please!" His voice seemed to break.

Ironside had to decide lightning-quick. No way could he get through to Ed, and neither could Hank, who was too large. Haggard Ed might make it out, if his life depended on it – which it did. But there was only this frightened, traumatized child who might be able to free him.

"Hank, there is a water bottle back in the car. Go get it!" Riley obeyed instantly.

Ironside pulled his knife out of his pocket and flipped it open. "Danny!" – Just for a second the scared autist looked up. "Your father is in there. You are the only one who can save his life. You have to get to him and cut his bonds. Let me wet your clothes for some protection! I know that it is tough for you, but you are his only chance!"

Shocked Danny nodded and Ironside spilled the content of the water bottle over his head.

The boy took the knife and stepped towards the crashed-down, burning woodwork. But the flames obviously frightened him too much.

"Danny, you've got to try!" urged Ironside, deliberately putting much more confidence into his voice than what he actually felt.

The child obeyed and slid into the small gap. The flames almost licked his clothes. After a few steps he stopped again.

"Daddy!" he yelled, clinging to the wall.

Hank had run back to the car to alarm the fire service. Ironside sat there, helpless. Had he taken the wrong decision this time? Should he call Riley to try and pull the child back out? No, he was too far away already for the bearish detective to reach him. What if Eve lost both her husband and son?

Now he heard Ed's voice. He sounded as placid as if he explained to his son where to fix the stickers on his airplane model.  
"Danny, there are only a few yards left. Close your eyes and take three steps."  
For a wonder the boy did as he was told. At least he disappeared from Ironside's sight.

"Another two steps – yes, that's my boy. You are doing great. Just a little further... Now cut the rope on my right wrist."

Obviously the child had trouble to cut the bonds. After what seemed an eternity Ironside heard Ed's voice again, just a tad sharper than before. "Give me the knife and get out of here immediately. Hurry!"

Shortly afterwards Ironside saw the boy climb out of the gap.

"Go back to the car, there you will be secure!" he shouted

Danny seemed to work on autopilot now. He stumbled past Ironside.

Would Ed make it?  
Meanwhile the flames in the woodwork had expanded, making his friend's escape increasingly difficult. The smoke had become so thick that one could hardly see anything anymore. This lasted too long...

* * *

_Author's notes:_

_Dear readers, have you noticed that there is a new Ironside writer on our fandom? Please check out her story, "Coffee". Welcome, Stella KiMara!_

_Btw there are two new chapters of "Tom Dayton Has Escaped " by 'Kaleenmounty'._


	7. Chapter 7

"Hank!"

"Yes, Sir?"

"Try to squeeze into this void, just for a few seconds... maybe you can reach out..." Again he didn't get to finish his sentence.

Hank did his best, frustrated, cursing his belly. He couldn't see a thing. "Chief Brown!" he shouted and reached out his arm. He felt resistance. He grabbed what he could feel and pulled his half-unconscious boss out of the gap, through the burning building and out of the door.

Faster than ever Ironside turned his wheelchair around and left with them, not a second too early: The rest of the roof collapsed.

"Ed, can you hear me?"

Out in the fresh air Brown's condition improved instantly. When he saw his frightened son he gathered all his strength and stood upright. "I'm fine, don't worry," he said, forcing himself to sound calm, and laying his soot-blackened arm around the shaking boy's shoulders.

A coughing spell proved him a liar, but Ironside and Hank respired. His jacket and shirt were in shreds and his chest and back were scratched, but all this didn't count.

The sirens of a fire truck approached. In short words Ironside explained them the situation. There was no use in saving the building, but the neighborhood would have to be protected from the fire.

On their way to headquarters Ed called Eve to tell her that he and Danny were in perfect health.

Of course he could not just go on with his work the way he looked. He didn't even want to meet his wife right now. Fortunately he always kept a clean shirt in his locker, just in case.

Ironside took his place as Chief of detectives, and nobody objected.

He wanted Hank to be checked, since he had sustained some slight burns. Eve drove him to the hospital.  
Hank was considered the hero of Chief Brown's rescue, and Ironside promoted this worshipping. He didn't need to be praised, and Danny would be glad to be forgotten.

As usual Ed refused to see a doctor for having been knocked out. "It's happened before," he said dryly, and that an Aspirin would do.  
He was the Chief now and could get away with everything... which was fine with Ironside, since he didn't want to alarm Eve.

Ironside instructed Jerry, who volunteered to work overtime, to start the search after a concealer. There had to be an adult behind the gang, not only because the youngsters could not sell their prey themselves, but also because Ed had most probably not been knocked out by a kid. Maybe there was a connection to the owner of the empty factory or to the wrecking company.

After Ed had cleaned up a bit and the boy had been given some orange juice – he rejected the doughnut – Ironside, Ed and Danny gathered together in Chief Brown's office.

"Danny, you've got to tell us the names of the kids who do all this havoc!" urged Ironside.

Ed signed him to stay calm, and Ironside nodded. This time Ed would have to do the questioning. He knew best how to get his son to talk.

Danny only knew the first names of two boys who had been at the children's home with him. He could not describe the others.

"It's called face blindness. It's typical for people with an autistic disorder," explained Ed.

"Tell me, Danny, why did you go with them?"

He knew that the boy would not lie to him. Aspies didn't lie.

"I can't tell," answered Danny, breaking out in tears. He buried his head in his father's clean shirt.

For quite some time Ed just held him without rushing him.

When Danny had calmed down he asked him: "Did they tell you not to fink?"

"That too." He swallowed. Then he said in a very small voice: "They threatened to burn me."

Ed was totally shaken. They had tortured Danny with his worst nightmare. How could children be so mean?!

Probably because they had been treated the same way by others...

Ironside kept his cool. "This could clear you in the eyes of the law, Danny. No judge would convict you under the circumstances. The only problem is that they will deny it. And there's hardly any prove for it."

Ed nodded his head in exasperation, then he hesitated.  
"Wait – maybe there is." Thinking about it made him almost sick. "They did more than just threatening you, didn't they, Danny?"

Trembling the child nodded.

"What in blazes are you talking about?" Ironside wanted to ask, but he didn't.

Ed would explain him everything as soon as possible.

As if he wanted to distract the boy he asked: "What exactly did you do?"

"I cracked the locks. Locks are patterns too, you know. But the night you were out I just went with them because I was afraid. They didn't even need me."

Ironside knew well why they had fetched him: To have a scapegoat.

* * *

When Danny went to the bathroom Ironside threw Ed a challenging look.

The younger man sighed. "When Danny came to us he couldn't wash his hair at first. He accepted that I did it for him. I noticed some small scars in places you normally don't see, like in his armpits and on the inside of his legs. I wondered what might have caused them. Now I think I know: These are cigarette burns. Maybe Danny will be able to talk about them in private."  
He shook his head. "I feel so incredibly bad for him."

Ironside remained pragmatic. "If this was the case, then he is off the hook."

Ed nodded. Thoughtfully shaking his head he added: "How unhappy must a kid be to inflict this kind of pain to another?"

"And how long will you excuse them? Until they rape or kill someone?! You are a policeman, not a flaming psychiatrist!"

In spite of his chagrin Ed had to smile. "Not all psychiatrists deserve to be called 'flaming', I suppose. But I agree with you. One day everyone has to take the responsibility for their life, no matter how bad their childhood was. Maybe I'm just too lenient because I see how close to the abyss Danny was and what a long way he still has to go."

"I have to give you credit: Sometimes it is difficult for onlookers to decide about which is that day in one's life."

* * *

Meanwhile Jerry and his men had not only found some watches and other probably stolen goods in the smoking wreckage of the factory, but also several leads towards some possible culprits in the background: there was more than met the eye. There seemed to be a ring of criminals which was behind procuring, thefts and dealing in stolen goods. They used the youth gang as their henchmen. There was a connection to the former Chief McManus. Ed had stood in their way. To them, Danny must have seemed like a very convenient banana skin to disgrace the new, straight Chief of Detectives.

While Ed was absorbed in the investigation – forgetting lunch as usual – Ironside had the chance to settle back. Ed would handle things from now on, and he would do just fine.

He did some reasoning about Danny's thinking in patterns. His 'eclipse' didn't really explain every single felony the youth gang had been involved in. Some had taken place within the eclipse, a few others outside his imaginary line. Maybe the home children had not been involved in these, or for some reason they had gone further away these times.

The pattern didn't explain everything – nevertheless it had worked.

And doubtlessly this thinking helped the autistic boy to better understand a world which seemed chaotic to him and frightened him to no end.

Ironside had to think of his paradise at home in Sonoma. He was sure that all these small accidents and incidents – together with the threatening letter to his address – were no hazards.

Like a few hours earlier he squinted his eyes – just in his mind this time – and looked for a pattern. And he saw one – if he didn't include the deceased dog.

All but that incident had concerned neighbors of Benjamin Redstone's, the stock broker's. Did he want to scare off the people to make them sell their property? That way he could expand his. It really looked that way!  
But what about Ellen Crawford's poor little dog? Her place was too far away from Redstone's to be considered as a possible add-on. Maybe this had been nothing but an accident after all. Accidents happened, sadly enough. The world didn't consist of patterns only. Maybe this was part of Danny's problem. He would have to learn to live with many things which didn't fit into a pattern.

Commissioner Fisette interrupted his thoughts. He was beaming with joy and friendliness – or at least he tried to look that way. Maybe he was a little embarrassed again, because he knew well that he had it pretty cushy while others did all the work...

"Mr. Ironside, I'm deeply indepted to you. You have worked miracles again. You not only saved our Chief Brown's life, but you also helped solve a complicated case. What would we have done without you? I don't know how to thank you."

"Commissioner, you could thank me by appointing a new Deputy Chief. Chief Bell had Ed and McManus as deputies. Ed Brown has to do the work of all three, working almost night and day. He needs at least one deputy!"

He didn't leave Fisette much of a choice.

From now on, Eve and Danny would – hopefully – see a little more of their husband and dad.

* * *

When Eve came back with proud, practically unscathed hero Hank Riley, Ironside went home with her and Danny.

Ed followed late in the evening, with a pounding headache, but relieved. The case was as good as solved. The remaining routine work would be done by subordinate officers.

Ironside thought that this was the life he had led himself for so many decades, and the life Ed was born for as well – and what he had trained him for himself: an intense, fulfilled life dedicated to people who needed him; a life dedicated to making the world a better place.

Yet he couldn't help teasing his old friend a little:

"Ed, you won't play basketball with the youngsters who almost killed you, will you?"

Brown uttered a short laugh which didn't sound very happy.  
"My son needed a lot of courage today. I suppose we will both have to overcome our share of fears in the near future."

* * *

**Part 3: Epilogue**

Dear Eve

Robert told the Sonoma police about his suspicion. Now that they knew what to look for they found enough evidence against Benjamin Redstone to get him convicted. For instance he had poisoned Bruce Lambert's grapes that morning I had met him so early. When Robert confronted him with it he finally confessed to it.

Our paradise is restored – with the downside that the police know about my husband now! What will happen next time they can't solve a case on their own? Right now Robert feels as snug as a bug in a rug in his vineyard, but with him you can never be really sure...

* * *

Dear Katherine

To say thank you to Hank Riley we invited him for a little celebration, together with Suzanne and Jerry Abbey.

When Hank saw his burly frame beside my husband's in the mirror of the hallway, he turned red. It was a funny sight indeed. "Now I really have to lose some weight," he muttered, embarrassed.

Danny, who is anything but a diplomatic person, objected: "Don't! Next time you have to safe my Dad it may be by swimming!"

Together with Danny I did the final preparations for dinner, then we stepped out of the kitchen.

"Danny, will you tell our guests what we have prepared?

"No, you do!"

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a surprise for you. Danny would like to make his father proud."

Danny disappeared but quickly came back, a huge candle in one hand and a very long candle lighter in the other. He put the candle onto the festively set table and smiled timidly at his father.

Ed tried to look stoic, but I knew him well enough to sense that he was a least as nervous as a few days ago when his life had been in danger.

Danny became entirely focused on his task at hand. He pressed the button of the lighter – and then he lit the candle.

* * *

_Author's note_

_Thank you, dear readers and reviewers, for your continued support!_

_Thank you, dear Lemonpig, for correcting... and people will notice that chapter 7 isn't yet reviewed by you ;-)_

_A special thanks goes to my model for "Danny", my talented, smart, beloved, wonderful, autistic son J.!_


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